Kunle Afolayan’s KAP Academy Completes Major Pan-African Filmmaking Initiative

The KAP–SOPA Pan-African Filmmaking Bootcamp is set to conclude with a three-day graduation and film premiere aimed at celebrating emerging African filmmakers, industry collaboration and the growing possibilities within the continent’s film sector.

The 12-week programme is a joint initiative of Kunle Afolayan’s KAP Film & Television Academy and the Government of the Republic of Benin, through its audio-visual agency, SOPA.

The closing events will take place at the KAP Film Village & Resort in Nigeria and will bring together filmmakers, cultural leaders, government officials, diplomats and other stakeholders from Nigeria, Benin and the wider African creative community.

Among the notable international film personalities expected at the event are Oscar-nominated filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako, veteran film curator and festival director Keith Shiri, filmmaker and media entrepreneur Femi Odugbemi, and internationally recognised producer Virginie Besson-Silla.

The bootcamp began with four weeks of intensive theoretical training in Cotonou, Benin, where selected participants were exposed to different aspects of filmmaking and the creative industry.

Following the classroom phase, the participants travelled to Nigeria for an intensive production residency, where they gained practical experience and worked on original short-film projects.

A total of 20 young Beninese creatives are expected to showcase the films they produced during the programme as part of the graduation and premiere activities.

The organisers said the initiative was created to strengthen creative cooperation between African countries while giving young filmmakers access to professional training, mentorship and practical production opportunities.

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The partnership was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding earlier this year and is focused on building stronger connections between the Nigerian and Beninese creative industries.

Speaking about the initiative, Afolayan, founder of the KAP Group, said the programme was designed to encourage filmmakers to look beyond national boundaries when considering opportunities within the African film industry.

“This program was conceptualized to transcend borders,” he said.

Afolayan noted that the partnership brings together Benin’s artistic heritage and Nigeria’s established film-production ecosystem, creating an environment where emerging filmmakers can learn, collaborate and develop their creative abilities.

He said the goal was to encourage a new generation of African filmmakers to view the continent as a shared creative space rather than a collection of separate markets.

The three-day celebration will also feature industry conversations and networking opportunities involving professionals and policymakers from different parts of Africa.

Beyond the graduation, the KAP Group is expected to unveil plans for a new annual Pan-African film conference, ITAN, The Screen Gathering and Awards, which is scheduled to launch in 2027.

According to Afolayan, ITAN will provide a platform for annual discussions on major issues affecting Africa’s film industry, including film financing, policy harmonisation, technological development and press release distribution.

The proposed conference is expected to bring together filmmakers, producers, investors, government representatives, technology experts and other stakeholders to explore ways of strengthening Africa’s creative economy.

The KAP–SOPA initiative comes at a time when cross-border collaboration is becoming increasingly important to the development of Africa’s entertainment industry.

For the 20 participating Beninese creatives, the graduation represents the end of an intensive 12-week training experience and the beginning of their professional filmmaking journeys.

With their original short films set to premiere before industry professionals and other invited guests, the event is expected to provide the young filmmakers with an opportunity to showcase their talents while connecting with established figures in African and international cinema.

The organisers believe the programme will demonstrate how structured partnerships between African creative institutions and governments can create opportunities for skills development, cultural exchange and greater collaboration across the continent’s film industry.